Total Pageviews

Saturday, July 7, 2012

Charmed Key Lime Cheesecake Tartlets

It's hot. You don't feel like cooking, but you'd love a light, creamy, tasty dessert to serve on a humid July day or night. The heroine of Pies and Prejudice, Ella Mae Le Faye, knows all about languid summer days and the need for food that helps you cool off and relax. Her creamy, key lime tartlet will do just that. They're super easy to make and will delight anyone at the table.

What's your favorite version of cheesecake?

Charmed
Key Lime Cheesecake Tartlets

Ingredients:

1 ½ cup graham cracker crumbs

½ cup butter, melted

3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, Softened

1 ½ cups granulated sugar

2 Teaspoons Key Lime zest

1/3 cup fresh Key Lime juice

3 large eggs

Garnishes: Whipped Cream , Grated Lime, Fresh
Raspberries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 6 individual tart pans with
removable bottoms with cooking spray. Combine crumbs and butter in small bowl
and then, using your fingers, press into the bottom and sides tart pans. Place
the pans onto two baking sheets. Beat together the cream cheese and sugar. Add
the eggs one at a time, beating well between each. When the mixture is smooth,
add the lime juice and zest and beat until well blended. Pour the mixture into
the graham cracker shells and bake for 20 minutes or until mostly set in the
center. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for a few hours before
serving. Garnish the tarts with lime zest and fresh raspberries and serve. (Whipped
cream optional)

They'd be super easy to turn into lemon tartlets as well. I know we have quite a few lemon fans out there. In any case, I hope you all had a lovely mid-week holiday and enjoy your weekend. It's 102 here in Richmond and we're all melting like summer Popsicles.

Is there anything more cooling than key lime? I'm wishing I had some key limes tonight - I'd make these now, while the temps are still hovering around 106. It's easy to juice them now that I've discovered that my marble pestle is just the right size to press out that juice.

Really enjoying Ella Mae, her aunts, and her talents. She's inspiring, and so are you!